U.S. Senate Majority Leader Won't Meet Johnny Chiang; Lawmaker Says Military Stance Harms Taiwan-U.S. Interests

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated he has no scheduled meeting with Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Johnny Chiang during her Washington visit, but reiterated strong support for enhancing Taiwan's defense capabilities. Thune emphasized the importance of making Taiwan a "porcupine" difficult to attack to deter Chinese provocations.

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he has not arranged to meet with Johnny Chiang

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Fan Yun commented that Chiang's previous support for a lower-cost version of a military procurement bill harms Taiwan-U.S. cooperation and U.S. national interests. Fan suggested that the U.S. political leader's reluctance to meet Chiang could be a warning sign.

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fully support strengthening Taiwan's defense

Fan expressed initial hopes that Chiang's visit would deepen Taiwan-U.S. relations, as political parties represent Taiwan abroad. However, she criticized Chiang's actions and statements, accusing her of aligning with Chinese unification figures or making remarks that harm Taiwan's national interests.

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the attitude towards military purchases harms Taiwan-U.S. interests

The DPP caucus urged other KMT leaders to interpret these signals correctly and focus on strengthening national defense and supporting the drone industry, aligning with mainstream Taiwanese public opinion.

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political leaders in the United States are unwilling to meet with [Chiang] can be seen as a warning sign